The present invention relates generally to multichannel receivers, and more specifically the invention pertains to a system and a process for improving the detection of signals in additive correlated non-Gaussian noise using multichannel data. This invention improves detection performance of receivers through the signal processing architecture and computational procedures.
In airborne radar applications using the conventional Gaussian receiver, distinct thresholds must be established for individual range-azimuth cells over the entire radar surveillance volume. This is due to the fact that the data is observed to be Gaussian only for these individual cells. This procedure is sub-optimal and can result in severe performance losses.
The task of improving the performance of Gaussian receivers is alleviated, to some extent, by the systems described in the following U.S. patents, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,698 issued to Champion; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,215 issued to Puzzo, and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,855,932 issued to Cangiani.
The patent to Cangiani et al discloses a three dimensional electro-optical tracker with a Kalman filter in which the target is modeled as the superposition of two Gaussian ellipsoids in space and projected onto an image plane. The Puzzo patent is of similar interest. The Champion patent is for a digital communication system.
While the above-cited references are instructive, a need remains for a process for improving the detection of signals in additive correlated non-Gaussian noise multichannel data. The present amendment is intended to satisfy that need.